Gorham High student wins state Poetry Out Loud competition

AUGUSTA — Gorham High School senior Emily Paruk won the state Poetry Out Loud competition, and is on her way to the virtual Natoinal Poetry Out Loud event.

Emily Paruk, a Gorham High senior, was named state Poetry Out Loud champion. (Submitted photo)
The Maine Arts Commission, which presented the Poetry Out Loud State Finals, announced Paruk won the virtual event out of a field of 10 finalists that also included Emma Collins, North Yarmouth Academy; Hazel Dow, Waterville Senior High School; Katelyn Nestor, Gardiner Area High School; Zeke Sitarz, Lisbon; Sofia Stockwell, North Haven Community School; Helen Strout, Cape Elizabeth High School; Rose Tuttle, Mount Ararat High School, Topsham; Ada Vancil, John Bapst Memorial High School, Bangor; and Magnolia Vandiver, George Stevens Academy, Blue Hill. Strout was runnerup.
The Maine State Finals judges were Mihku Paul, Ekhlas Ahmed, Erica Rubin Irish and Todd McKinley.
The competion on April 12 was the first ever in which poetry recitations were recorded and scored by a panel of virtual judges. The 10 finalists rose through the ranks of schoolwide and regional competitions to compete in the Maine state final.
Because live in-person events were not possible this year, the Maine Arts Commission partnered with Media Loma to create a film that mimics the structure of the usual competitions. The film includes three rounds of student recitation videos, as well as performances by musicians from Maine Academy of Modern Music. Former Maine Poetry Out Loud State Champion Allan Monga, served as MC.
Paruk recited “Once the World Was Perfect,” by Joy Harjo, “Fairy-tale Logic,” by A.E. Stallings, and “Often Rebuked, Yet Always Back Returning,” by Emily Bronte.
For more information about Maine Poetry Out Loud and to watch the competition, visit MaineArts.com.